Civil servants may get new pay scale next fiscal year

Star Business Report

The eighth pay and service commission plans to submit its recommendations on a new pay structure for the country's 13 lakh-odd civil servants before December 16. Mohammed Farash-uddin, chairman of the 17-member commission, said they are aiming for the date so that the government employees can get salaries under the new pay scale from the upcoming fiscal year. He was talking to reporters after a meeting with Finance Minister AMA Muhith at the latter's secretariat yesterday. A former governor of Bangladesh Bank, Farashuddin said the commission would work to keep inflation in check, as a salary increase is invariably accompanied by a rise in the price level. The commission is exploring whether it would be possible to extend various facilities to the government staff in place of an increase in allowance, he said. For instance, the panel is considering whether it would be possible to hand out education allowance by way of tuition fees, books and other education materials instead of hard cash. Farashuddin said they are also considering whether to recommend various insurance facilities including health and accident for all government staff, adding that the constraints of the government will be kept in mind when making recommendations in the pay structure.

Meeting sources said the commission would recommend formation of a fund where a staff will deposit some money towards a flat after retirement at the start of his job; the government will also contribute towards it. Taking car loans will be mandatory for officials ranging from deputy secretary to additional secretary to stop misuse of funds regarding the government transport pool. The government formed the pay commission on November 24 last year and issued an order and made it effective from December 17, just before the national elections. The six-month tenure of the commission is set to expire on June 17 and a request for extension by another six months has already been sent.